Organizational Communication Commons^™

Political Styles And Strategies Used By Exemplary Suburban Unified District Superintendents With Board Members: A Mixed Methods Study, Tammy Blakely

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this thematic, explanatory sequential mixed methods study was to understand the political styles of superintendents and school board members as perceived by superintendents. In addition, it was the purpose of this study to identify and explain the political strategies superintendents use to work with the different political styles of board members.

Methodology: This explanatory sequential mixed methods study research design used data collected from a quantitative survey followed by qualitative data collected using semistructured face-to-face interviews. The data in this study were obtained from 5 exemplary suburban unified superintendents using the 9 political styles framework from …

Getting Them In The Door: A Study Of Programming Within Boys & Girls Clubs Of Vermont, Hannah Macon

Capstone Collection

While it is clear that strong, evidence-based youth-centered programming has a significant impact within an organization, there are often challenges and barriers which can significantly impact these programs. To understand these barriers more fully, it is important to understand the context through which these programs are being operated in, and by analyzing the perceptions surrounding what makes a program successful or sustainable over time. The Boys and Girls Club of Brattleboro is a local non profit which strives to grow and increase its impact on the youth members of the community. The purpose of this research was to collect and …

Getting Over The Dam: Overcoming Institutional Barriers To The Recovery Of Atlantic Salmon By Navigating The Social-Science/Policy Interface, Melissa E. Flye

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The term governance has undergone somewhat of an evolution since its inception, originally describing the act of governing, it has come to represent a more collaborative form of governing which is distinct from hierarchical control models (Marin and Mayntz, 1991). Collaborative governance refers to the systems associated with public policy decision making and resource management which span the jurisdictional boundaries of public agencies, levels of government, and/or public and private spheres in order to pursue a public policy goal or outcome (Emerson et al., 2012). Environmental management is often considered an inherently collaborative effort, as ecological systems and species rarely …

Relationship Between Self-Development, Mentorship, And Senior Military Officer Moral Judgment, Garry Thompson

Dissertations

Despite a renewed emphasis on ethics programs across the Department of Defense (DOD) since 2007, the number of senior officer ethical failures increased by 13% from 2015 to 2017 (Copp, 2017). If the trend of ethical failures and misconduct continue, the military faces a further decline in public confidence (DoDOIG, 2017). The 2017 DOD Inspector General report noted the trend of senior leader ethical failures might foster negative public perceptions regarding military leader’s overall dedication, sacrifice, ethics, and character (DoDOIG, 2017).

A review of military literature revealed the importance of mentorship and self-development in professional development; however, gaps between …

Organizational Conditions That Promote And Impede Research Engagement: The Principal’S Perspective, Renee Treat

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The researcher explored perceptions of the research-practice gap in education, the process through which central actors make decisions related to teacher retention and development, and the organizational conditions that promote and impede research-engagement in this qualitative study. The researcher limited the study to the role of the campus principal and used purposive sampling to select participants from 3 diverse districts in the state of Texas. Because there may be discrepancies between leaders’ perceptions and behaviors, the researcher conducted interview sessions with principals and principal supervisors and conducted observation sessions in principals’ natural work environments. The study results showed that good …

Social Media In Baptist Churches, Robin Amankwah

Dissertations

The integration of social media into Chicago Baptist Churches congregants recently increased over the last few years. This research study allowed church leaders to determine if social media was an effective media outlet in Baptist churches on the Southside of Chicago. The evaluation research approach was to assess the effectiveness of social media, in particular Facebook and Instagram. Within this conceptual framework, the researcher was able to produced flexible, fixed, and multi-design strategies to abstract a full spectrum of evaluation. The subsequent methodology focused on the dual use of social media and themes that coincide, specifically, marketing, politics, communication awareness, …

Organizational Change Within Christian Higher Education Institutions And The Reactions Of Faculty, Dena Counts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Christian higher education in the United States is experiencing frequent transformational organizational change that is impacting faculty. Researchers have asserted that frequent, second-order organizational change correlates with interpersonal conflict, and conflict is associated with counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs). These associations between change, conflict, and negative work behavior are important to understand as faculty actions could significantly impact change efforts. Because of the context of Christian higher education, this study was designed to determine if faculty organizational identification influenced the correlations of the variables. It specifically utilized a cross-sectional survey design to assess faculty (N = 267) perceptions of organizational change, …

The Art Of The Rebrand: Utilizing Strategic Communications To Obtain Employee Buy-In During A Rebrand, Samantha Azizo

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to identify how organizations can effectively communicate with employees during a rebrand in order to obtain their acceptance of the changes, otherwise known as employee buy-in. Prior research has found that employee acceptance of a rebrand is a contributing factor towards a successful rebrand; however, prior research fails to determine how the rebrand can be best communicated to employees to obtain their buy-in. The research performed for the study took place in two parts. First, 142 online surveys probing employee and consumer perception about rebranding were performed. Secondly, three semi-structured interviews with professionals who …

Applying Social Network Analysis To Identify How Chief Resilience Officers Promote Community Resilience Through Boundary Spanning, Interorganizational Collaboration, And Leadership, Kasey Couvillion Sisson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this paper is to explore, in some depth, the functions of interorganizational collaboration (IOC) by analyzing the Chief Resilience Officer (CRO) role in 5 US cities. The CRO can act as a key network collaborator or boundary spanner – managing relationships, communication and strategic responses within and across organizations. This study researches the IOC and leadership functions of CROs operating in the social network of 100 Resilient Cities to better understand their boundary spanning roles. This study explores how CROs create and maintain IOC, characterizes their leadership functions and role, and examines the boundary spanning role as …

#Whyididntreport: Using Social Media Analysis To Inform Issues With Sexual Assault Reporting, Jordyn Warren

LSU Master's Theses

The #MeToo movement allowed victims of sexual assault to go public with their stories. When Dr. Christine Blasey Ford came forward with allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in September of 2018, she was scrutinized by President Trump for not reporting the incident to authorities “when it happened nearly 30 years ago.” Promptly, #WhyIDidntReport came to fruition on Twitter, uncovering the shame victims feel and the complexities behind why so many individuals didn’t and still don’t report their assaults. Victim-service agencies “provide victims with support and services to facilitate their physical and emotional recovery, offer protection from future victimizations, …

Engaging High School Students Towards A Career In Cybersecurity, Caroline Rose Ster

Journalism

The following study acknowledges the numerous jobs available in cybersecurity and searches for ways to use public relations efforts to engage high school students towards a career in cybersecurity. While the field of cybersecurity is growing and the amount of jobs are increasing, there is currently not enough people pursuing a career in cybersecurity. This lack of professionals is dangerous because there are simply not enough professionals that are seeking to progress the field, and there’s not enough people to fight the increasing number of cyberattacks. The main goal for this project was to discover public relations tactics that can …

Event Planning As A Means Of Applying Transferable Skills: The Planning Of The 2019 Communication Studies Banquet, Kylie E. Clark

Communication Studies

Though an annual event, The Communication Studies Banquet has had low attendance in the past and was seen as formal and expensive. This year’s event was revamped in order to make the banquet more fun, accessible, and affordable. The planning and enhancement of this event required several transferable skills which can be applied not only to event planning, but also to many other careers. These skills include organization, communication, negotiation, creativity, financial management, and resourcefulness. This paper examines the utility of transferable skills, including how they are acquired and why they are valuable, and explains how these skills were applied …

Together Apart: Influences And Barriers To Engagement Among Remote Workers, Stacey-Robin H. Johnson

Student Theses and Dissertations

Organizations recognize the importance of having employees who do more than 'show up' for work. Rather, the goal is to have employees who will adapt to, embody, and promote the values, agenda, and strategic purposes of the organization beyond their work life. In the efforts around engagement, there are key influences in the organizational lifespan of an employee that can inspire or discourage engagement attitudes and behaviors.

Remote workers (defined here as those who work outside of a central, collective work setting) present unique challenges, the most pressing being maintaining a sense of connection and inclusion among the group in …

Illness And The American Workplace: Issues And Implications For Employers And Employees, Victoria R. Dolan

Student Theses and Dissertations

This project aims to identify American employee experiences and existing workplace policies and cultures surrounding illness, disability, and sick leave. This approach was taken in order to closely examine what looks to be working well for companies and workers, and what could benefit from a more human centric approach in regards to workplace policy and employee support programs. The study of employee experiences in particular represents a gap in the current scholarly literature regarding illness and illness policy in the American workplace, and more accurately represents the experiences for both employees and employers. Furthermore, it assists with distinguishing the types …

Image Repair In Ncaa Division I Athletics, Joseph J. Martinelli

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

NCAA Division I universities are constantly under a threat of image loss due to both internal and external factors. The purpose of this study was to examine past image repair campaigns executed after a crisis by the following NCAA Division I member universities: Ohio State University, Louisville University, and the University of Maryland. A problem-oriented case study was completed on the media coverage of these situations, which evaluated the effectiveness of the strategies chosen by each respective university. Results revealed the best practices for public relations practitioners to repair and maintain a positive image in the collegiate landscape.

Empowering The Plus Size Body Using Dance As Therapy, Ashley Sampson

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

In Western society, having the “ideal” body image and size is a societal issue. It is advertised throughout media outlets that the “ideal” body is what should be desired, and any other body type is “abnormal”. This capstone thesis focused on the effectiveness of dance as therapy and changing the perspectives of all body types, to support and empower all bodies including plus-sized bodies. The use of individual interviews, in an open dialogue model, with a select few members (3) of Soul thru Sole, including the CEO of the dance company; which focuses on empowering women no matter their age, …

Collaboration In Social Hobby Groups: Transferring Qualities Of Teamwork From The Social Sphere To The Professional Sphere, Emily M. Mccormick

MSU Graduate Theses

Workplace collaboration has been the subject of much research and writing. Social collaboration can help inform our understanding of how people prefer to work together and should be studied for its aspects that could be transferred to the professional sphere. This research examines how members in social hobby groups collaborate with each other and what aspects of that collaboration can be applied to the workplace. I observed and surveyed five local hobby groups to better understand how the members worked together and what made this type of socializing appealing to members. One of the primary aspects of this social collaboration …

The Impact Of Bureaucracy, Power, And Structure On The Black Graduate Student Experience, Demetria Scherell Green

MSU Graduate Theses

This thesis utilizes muted group theory to understand the impact bureaucratic structure has on Black graduate students at predominantly white institutions. Muted group theory is used to inform individuals of the impact power functions have on both verbal and nonverbal communication. The premises of the theory focus on the lack of underrepresented voices present in policies, structures, and organizations. In order to gain clarity on the experiences of Black graduate students in particular, the use of qualitative data gathering provided unique insights to answer the research questions guiding this study. A focus group was first used to generate key themes, …

The Impact Organizational Factors Have On Role Ambiguity Amongst School Social Workers, Melissa Kichura

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore what organizational factors increase or decrease role ambiguity amongst school social workers. This study attempted to provide practical information for schools on the influence of specific organizational factors on role ambiguity so that they can provide a supportive work environment for school social workers and students. A cross-sectional survey design was used to provide a snapshot of the current organizational factors impacting the ambiguity of school social work roles from a sample of 73 members of the School Social Work Association of America. Some findings were not congruent with the literature. The …

Connecting Youth To Public Lands Through The Social Change Model Of Leadership Development: The Yosemite Leadership Program, Amanda J. Dworak Rowland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the success and outcome of the Yosemite Leadership Program (YLP) through its foundation in the Social Change Model of Leadership Development. There are research studies of collegiate programming and the Social Change Model (SCM); however, a literature review uncovered the limited amounts of research around leadership programming connecting collegiate students to their gateway public lands sites. The goal of this research was to identify how the SCM could be used to implement methods and practices of leadership development with college students in partnership with a public lands agency. The specific leadership development themes that were explored …

The Practice Of Children’S Ministry: Developing A Cohesive Vision Of Practice With Church Leaders, Shannon Clarkson Rains

Doctor of Ministry Theses

The purpose of this project was to create a congregational workshop for church leaders that leads to the development of a cohesive vision for the practice of children’s ministry. In order to do this, I began by presenting the evolution of children’s ministry in the Churches of Christ along with the current tensions that exist between ministers and church leadership created by a lack of cohesive vision for the practice of children’s ministry. This foundational understanding of the origins of this tension supports my discussion of a vision for children’s ministry that includes attention to the spiritual formation of children—an …

Social Class And Social Networks: How Sociocultural Upbringing Affects Organizational Social Networks, Jacqueline Tilton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Organizations are a key venue where individuals from different backgrounds have the opportunity to interact and yet we know very little about how social class background shapes interactions within the workplace. There is reason to believe that the differing value systems of social class groups influence their attitudes and behavior towards workplace connections and relationship formation. This article considers how social class background affects organizational social networks as well as the class-distinct values and attitudes that shape networking behavior of employees. To study this phenomena, I analyze a sample of 490 employees from a broad range of roles and organizations …

Supervisor-Subordinate Conflict Negotiation: Examining The Core Concerns In Light Of Communication Accommodation And Gender Roles, Piyawan Charoensap-Kelly

Dissertations

This quasi-experimental study examined a supervisor-subordinate negotiation of an emotion-laden conflict from the lens of the core concerns framework, communication accommodation theory, and gender roles research. Results empirically support CCF that, by accommodating or attending to the employees’ core concerns, managers can stimulate employees’ positive emotion and integrative intention. However, under- and overaccommodating the core concerns can lead to distributive intention. Additionally, the employees’ perception of manager goodwill can strengthen or attenuate the positive effect of core concerns accommodativeness on outcome variables especially for male managers. Thus, moderate accommodation is recommended for male managers. For female managers, the results show …

Exploring A University System Through Organizational Communication Routines Involving Risk, Sean Fourney

Dissertations

Given the nature of differing risks that can damage higher education institutions, perception from leaders’ perspectives is crucial in viewing organizational behavior regarding potential damage to the system. This case study investigated how a university staff perceives, communicates, and organizes about risk. Thirty interviews (27 one-on-one, 2 via email, and 1 over the phone) with campus leaders sought to identify how those in a higher education institution collectively communicates elements of risk within and beyond its environment while potentially forming relationships in attempts to mitigate it. An applied thematic analysis revealed that informants perceived risk as a system issue to …

Communication Barriers Faced By Female College Students (18-24) During Business Internships, Gail Foldenauer

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to gain insight on the young, female intern experience specifically within the business industry. In order to be interviewed, all participants had to identify as female and have had a business internship while they were between the ages of 18 and 24. Potential participants were invited to be interviewed for this project via word of mouth or social media. Once they agreed to the terms of the study, they took part in a 30 to 45 minute interview and were asked to share experiences about their internship and how their coworkers shaped their intern …

Cross Cultural Volunteering: A Best Practices Guide For Aspiras Usa, Lindsey King

Honors Theses

This thesis project explores the topic of cross-cultural volunteering in the context of volunteer opportunities facilitated by Aspiras USA, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on youth and community development efforts in the Dominican Republic. Aspiras partners with various college student organizations in the US and offers them opportunities for international volunteering in the Dominican Republic. Knowing how popular international volunteering is, and that it can result in negative outcomes, I was interested in the experiences of these Aspiras volunteers and the community hosts, and how to improve said experiences. I completed a thorough review of literature surrounding volunteer tourism …

The Effects Of Different Types Of Virtual Reality Display On Perception Of A Virtual Presenter, Ferran Poage

Honors Theses

Virtual reality (VR) displays present an immersive 3D virtual world that convey a sense of presence. These displays are rapidly increasing in fidelity, from traditional 2d desk monitors to head-mounted displays (HMD’s) like the Oculus Rift. Research must investigate the relationship between this growing level of fidelity in displays and the virtual experiences they produce, especially as high-fidelity devices become more widespread. Evidence shows that the fidelity of VR displays can affect a variety of factors such as spatial awareness, communication, engagement, arousal, enjoyment, and presence. The current study investigated the potential relationship between the fidelity of VR displays and …

Girls Who Handle It: Transforming The Lives Of College-Aged Women, Jordan Rae Delfs

Journalism

Girls Who Handle It (GWHI) is an organization unique to San Luis Obispo, but hoping to expand in the coming years. The team recruited myself to begin the process of expansion beginning in Santa Barbara. Despite the success in San Luis Obispo, the lack of previous recognition in this new city proved to be a difficulty in executing this event. GWHI aims to create a community empowerment movement by allowing college-aged women to share their vulnerabilities on a public platform creating conversation surrounding difficulty. They also highlight the role social media plays in hiding these trials by often not accurately …

Evaluación Y Prospectiva De Las Estrategias De Comunicación De La Facultad De Ciencias Administrativas Y Contables, Angy Zorany Moreno Escarpeta, Luis Miguel Romero Rodríguez

Contaduría Pública

El presente documento expone la contribución en el semillero de reflexión artística y mediática RAM, con duración de tres semestres (2017 l – 2018 l), descritos en dos capítulos, en el primero abordaremos la obra teatral denominada “Balance”, la cual fue presentada en noviembre de 2017 y en el segundo daremos cuenta del proceso de edición de la revista balance social digital volumen 5 (1) que fuese publicada en mayo de 2018.

Volunteer Tool Kit, Lydia Brooks

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The Williams Syndrome Association is a nonprofit organization that helps raise funds and awareness about Williams syndrome. Williams syndrome is a disorder that is not very well known and has a lot of unique challenges associated with it. Individuals with Williams syndrome have serious health concerns and tend to be extremely friendly, outgoing, and empathetic. The Williams Syndrome Association is dedicated to raising funds to aid research, creating awareness for the disorder, and providing support to families that are affected by the disorder. The association recruits volunteers to put on an annual Walk for Williams Syndrome in their area. These …